Integrated device including connections on a separate wafer

ABSTRACT

An integrated semiconductor device includes semiconductor regions and isolation regions in a first wafer of semiconductor material, and, on a second wafer of semiconductor material, interconnection structures. Plug elements provide electrical and mechanical coupling between the first and second wafers. Each plug element includes a first region coupled to the first wafer and a second region formed of a selected metal bonded with the semiconductor regions of the first wafer, forming a metal silicide.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/037,485, filed Dec. 19, 2001, now pending, which application isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention refers, in general, to integrated devices havingconnections on a separate wafer, and, in particular, to bondingstructures formed between a wafer comprising active or mechanicalstructures a wafer comprising interconnection structures.

2. Description of the Related Art

As is known, standard processes for manufacturing integrated circuitsinvolve carrying out individual process steps in a sequential way. Themanufacture of micro-integrated structures (so-calledmicro-electromechanical systems, or MEMS) and their control circuits ina same monolithic device has required a certain number of manufacturesteps for defining the micro-integrated structures within the process ofmanufacturing traditional electronic components, with an increase incomplexity which is not always sustainable. Consequently, in many casesthe choice is made to carry out parallel manufacturing processes toobtain, on one hand, the control circuits, and, on the other, themicro-integrated structures, and at a certain point to bond the obtainedstructures, so that the two processes may involve only a fewnon-critical common steps.

Thereby, it is possible to continue to exploit the potential of planartechnology (batch-type processes), whilst the minimum time required forobtaining a finished device (so-called “cycle time”) is markedlyreduced. In addition, with parallel processing, it is possible toseparate parts and processing steps that could lead to contamination.

Recently a manufacturing process has been proposed (see U.S. Pat. No.5,736,395) based upon parallel manufacture of a first substrate housingan integrated circuit and a second substrate comprising theinterconnections for the integrated circuit, and bonding the twosubstrates together in the final manufacturing steps.

The separation of the operations for forming the integrated componentsin a silicon substrate from the operations for forming interconnectionsenables a simplification of the process as a whole.

In the parallel process proposed, bonding of the two substrates isobtained by forming, on both substrates, appropriate metal contactregions coated with a bonding layer of a low-melting alloyable metal,for example gold or palladium.

The need to include steps for depositing and defining the metal contactregions and the bonding layer on top of both substrates is, however,disadvantageous in so far as it does not enable separation of theoperations for forming components integrated in the silicon from themetallurgical operations for forming interconnections. Consequently, thetechniques for forming the interconnections risk affecting thecomponents that belong to the integrated circuit and may give rise toundesired charging phenomena or to contamination.

In addition, the described parallel process requires forming throughholes in the substrate carrying the interconnections for aligning thetwo substrates in the bonding step, with an increase in costs and inmanufacturing times for forming the corresponding masks and the holes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention provides a device havingintegrated structures including semiconductor regions and isolationregions in a first wafer of semiconductor material, and, on a secondwafer of semiconductor material, interconnection structures. Plugelements provide electrical and mechanical coupling between the firstand second wafers. Each plug element includes a first region coupled tothe first wafer and a second region formed of a selected metal bondedwith the semiconductor regions of the first wafer, forming a metalsilicide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

For a better understanding of the present invention, preferredembodiments thereof are now described, purely to provide non-limitingexamples, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a first wafer housing electroniccomponents for implementing the parallel manufacturing process accordingto the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a second wafer housing interconnectionsfor the components of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of a composite wafer obtained by bondingthe wafers of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the composite wafer of FIG. 3, in asubsequent step of the manufacturing process;

FIG. 5 presents a detail of an alignment structure made on the wafer ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 presents a detail of a corresponding alignment structure made onthe wafer of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 shows details of FIGS. 5 and 6 after alignment and bonding of thetwo substrates;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the alignment structure of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the step of aligning the structures ofFIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 10 shows a cross-section of a first MEMS device formed using theparallel fabrication technique according to the invention;

FIG. 11 shows a cross-section of a second MEMS device formed using theparallel fabrication technique according to the invention;

FIG. 12 shows a cross-section of a third MEMS device formed using theparallel fabrication technique according to the invention;

FIGS. 13-15 show cross-sections of a first wafer used for manufacturingthe third MEMS device according to FIG. 11, in successive steps; and

FIG. 16 shows a cross-section of a composite wafer obtained by bondingthe wafer of FIG. 15 to a wafer housing interconnections, in an advancedmanufacturing step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a first wafer 1 housing electroniccomponents belonging to an integrated electronic circuit. In particular,the first wafer 1 comprises a substrate 2 having a surface 2 a andhousing a bipolar transistor 3 and a PMOS transistor 4, each formed inan own well 5, 6 isolated from one another by junction isolation regions7. The well 5 accommodates a collector contact region 10 and a baseregion 11, and the base region 11 houses a base contact region 12 and anemitter region 13. The well 6 accommodates source regions 14. Inaddition, isolation contact regions 15 are formed inside the junctionisolation region 7. The collector contact region 10, base region 11,base contact region 12, emitter region 13, source regions 14, andisolation contact regions 15 face the surface 2 a of the substrate 2. Adielectric protection layer 18 extends on top of the surface 2 a of thesubstrate 2 and has openings 19 at the regions 10, and 12-15. A gateregion 20, of polycrystalline silicon, extends in part on top of thesurface 2 a and in part in a depression inside the substrate 2, and iselectrically insulated from the substrate 2 by the dielectric protectionlayer 18.

The first wafer 1 is obtained via standard process steps, which are notdescribed in detail herein.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a second wafer 25 comprisinginterconnection regions intended for the first wafer 1 of FIG. 1. Inparticular, the second wafer 25 comprises a substrate 26 ofmonocrystalline silicon, covered by an oxide layer 27. Two metal levelsare formed on top of the oxide layer 27 and comprise first connectionregions 28 on top of the oxide layer 27 and second connection regions 30on top of the first connection regions 28 and insulated therefrom by aninsulating layer 31. Through connections 29 extend through theinsulating layer 31 and selectively connect some of the first connectionregions 28 to some of the second connection regions 30. Plug elements 32are formed on top of the second connection regions 30 at the openings 19and the gate region 20 of the first wafer 1. The plug elements 32preferably comprise a base region 33, for example of aluminum, and abonding region 34, of a metal capable of reacting with silicon to form asilicide, such as titanium, palladium, nickel, platinum, tungsten, andcobalt.

The second wafer 25 is preferably obtained as follows: initially theoxide layer 27 is deposited or grown on top of the substrate 26; then afirst metal layer is deposited and defined so as to form the firstconnection regions 28; the insulating layer 31 is deposited; openingsare formed in the insulating layer 31 where the through connections 29are to be made; a second metal layer is deposited and removed from ontop of the insulating layer 31; then a third metal layer is depositedand defined so as to form the second connection regions 30; next, afourth metal layer and a metal layer capable of reacting with siliconare deposited and defined so as to form the plug elements 32. The firstand second connection regions 28, 30 and the through connections 29 aremade of any suitable metal, even one not necessarily compatible withprocessing of silicon, such as silver and copper.

Next (FIG. 3), the second wafer 25 is turned upside down on top of thewafer 1 so that the top ends of the plug regions 32 insert into thecorresponding openings 19, and, by applying an appropriate temperature(of at least 230° C., according to the type of metal capable of reactingwith silicon) and a small pressure, the bonding regions 34 are made toreact with the uncovered silicon through the openings 19 or with thepolycrystalline silicon of the gate region 20 to form metal silicidewhich is conductive and stable over time. In this way, a composite wafer36 is formed.

In order to guarantee the reaction of the bonding regions 34, thesilicon exposed at the openings 19 and the polycrystalline silicon ofthe gate region 20 are preferably cleaned with gaseous anhydroushydrofluoric acid, and all the silicon regions that are bonded to theplug regions (regions 10 and 12-15, and portion of the gate region 20 onwhich the contact is made) are on the same level.

Finally (FIG. 4), the second wafer 25 is thinned, for example bylapping, by removing the substrate 26 as far as the oxide layer 27; thenthe oxide layer 27 is opened in order to enable selective connection ofsome of the first connection regions 28 with the outside. Alternatively,it is possible to thin the second wafer 25 to arrive near to the oxidelayer 27, without, however, reaching the latter. Then, in the remainingportion of the substrate 26, openings are formed at the pads andtraverse also the oxide layer 27, and connection wires are then bonded.

The gap between the first wafer 1 and the second wafer 25 forms aninsulation gap 37 having a low dielectric constant and is filled withair or nitrogen, or else is set in vacuum conditions (in the latter twocases, bonding may be performed in a controlled environment as regardsgas/pressure, and annular plug elements 32 may be provided whichsurround the active regions of each device into which the compositewafer 36 will then be divided, so as to seal the insulation gap 37 ofeach device from the external environment).

The advantages of the above described process are illustratedhereinafter. First, parallel processing allows a reduction in the cycletime, since the steps for manufacturing the second wafer can be carriedout even simultaneously with, or in any case independently of, the stepsfor processing the first wafer.

Since the plug elements 32 belonging to the second wafer 25 are bondeddirectly to silicon regions belonging to the first wafer 1, themetallurgical operations for forming the connection regions arecompletely independent of the operations necessary for processingsilicon; consequently, there is no interference whatsoever between suchoperations.

The areas in which the two wafers are made may be separate;consequently, for forming the connections it is possible to usematerials that are incompatible with silicon processing, without anyrisk of contamination.

As far as the interconnections are concerned, it is possible to proceedfrom the simpler levels (top levels) to the more complex levels (bottomlevels, including the first level which is connected directly tosilicon), so increasing the sturdiness of the processes.

According to another aspect of the invention, in order to facilitatealignment of the second wafer 25 to the first wafer 1, self-alignmentstructures are made, as is shown in FIGS. 5-9, where only one portion ofthe wafers 1, 25 is illustrated.

In detail (FIGS. 5 and 6), the self-alignment structures compriseengagement seats 40 formed in the first wafer 1 and engagement elements41 formed on the second wafer 25.

Specifically, as may be better seen from FIGS. 8 and 9, an engagementseat 40 comprises a guide opening 42 in the protective dielectric layer18, having a trapezium shape, and a notch 43 in the substrate 2, alsohaving a trapezium shape and with the minor base and the legssubstantially aligned, respectively, to the minor base and part of thelegs of the guide opening 42. The guide opening 42 has a much greaterlength (height of the trapezium) than the notch 43.

The engagement seats 40 are obtained as follows: using an appropriatemask or the mask for digging in the silicon used to form the depression21 (FIG. 1), the notch 43 is initially dug; then, simultaneously andusing the same mask as for the openings 19, the guide opening 42 is dug.In this way, the guide opening 42 is positioned precisely with respectto the openings 19.

The engagement elements 41 preferably include two pins 44 for eachengagement seat 40, as may be seen in detail in FIGS. 8 and 9. The twopins 44 are arranged adjacent each other and have dimensions andposition such as to engage a corresponding notch 43. The two pins 44 ofeach engagement element 41 are formed on top of a second connectionregion 30 (which, in actual fact, does not have any function ofelectrical connection), and each of them comprises a bottom region 45,which may be made of any suitable material (for example, but notnecessarily, of the same material as the base regions 33 of the plugelements 32), an intermediate region 46, formed together with and madeof the same material as the base regions 33, and a top region 47, formedtogether with and made of the same material as the bonding regions 34.

Since the pins 44 comprise one region more than the plug elements 32,namely, the bottom region 45, they have a greater height than the plugelements 32 themselves, namely by an amount corresponding to thethickness of the bottom region 45.

The pins 44 are preferably formed as follows: a raising layer isdeposited on top of the second connection regions 30 and is then removedeverywhere, except where the pins 44 are to be formed, using anappropriate mask. In this step, raising regions are formed havingdimensions that may not even coincide with those of the bottom regions45, but may be of larger dimensions, in particular if the material ofthe bottom regions 45 is the same as that of the intermediate regions46.

Next, the fourth metal layer and the metal layer capable of reactingwith silicon are deposited and defined, so as to form simultaneously theplug elements 32 and the intermediate regions 46 and top regions 47. Ifthe material of the raising regions is the same as the fourth metallayer, also the bottom regions 45 are defined in this step, even thoughthis is not always indispensable.

When the second wafer 25 is turned upside down on top of the first wafer1, it is roughly aligned in order to insert the pins 44 into the guideopenings 42 next to the major bases of the trapeziums, as shown in FIG.8 with a solid line, and in FIG. 9. Next, the second wafer 25 isdisplaced laterally with respect to the first wafer 1 in the directionindicated by the arrows A, until the pairs of pins 44 insert into thecorresponding notches 43, thus causing the second wafer 25 to collapsetowards the first wafer 1 and the plug elements 32 to engage thecorresponding openings 19. Preferably, the height of the pins 44 and thedepth of the notches 43 is chosen in such a way that the pins 44 do nottouch the bottom of the notches 43, so as to guarantee that, even in thepresence of process imprecisions, the plug elements 32 are always andsecurely in contact with the substrate 2 and the gate region 20 of thefirst wafer 1.

Lateral movement of the second wafer 25 ends when the two pins 44 ofeach engagement element 41 both interfere with the legs of the guideopenings 42 and possibly of the notches 43, fittedly engaged, as shownby the dashed lines in FIG. 8, and so guaranteeing excellent alignmentof the wafers 1 and 25.

FIG. 10 shows a device 50 formed by a first chip 51 housing amicro-electromechanical structure 61 and a second chip 52 housingelectrical connection regions.

In detail, the first chip 51 comprises a first substrate 54 ofmonocrystalline silicon, a first insulating layer 55, for example ofsilicon dioxide, and an epitaxial layer 56 of polycrystalline silicon.The epitaxial layer 56 houses the micro-electromechanical structure 61,including a rotor 57, a stator 58, and biasing regions 59. The firstinsulating layer 55 has been removed from beneath the rotor 57 where anair gap 60 is formed in order to enable movement of the rotor 57, whichis supported by spring elements (not shown) in a per se known manner.

The second chip 52 comprises a second substrate 65, of monocrystallinesilicon, a second insulating layer 66, of silicon dioxide, a thirdinsulating layer 67, of silicon nitride, and plug elements 68, each ofwhich includes a base region 69, for example of aluminum, and a bondingregion 70, of silicide, such as titanium silicide, palladium silicide,nickel silicide, platinum silicide, tungsten silicide, and cobaltsilicide.

The second substrate 65 has through openings 74 at some plug elements68. Underneath the through openings 74 also the second insulating layer66 and the third insulating layer 67 are removed. Thereby, thecorresponding base regions 69 are accessible from behind and areconnected to electrical connection wires 75 soldered through a gold ball(gold-wire bonding technique).

The device 50 is formed as follows: the first insulating layer 55 isdeposited or grown on a first wafer of crystalline silicon (forming thefirst substrate 54); next, a thin layer of polycrystalline silicon isdeposited, and an epitaxial layer 56 is grown. Alternatively, it ispossible to use a SOI wafer. Using a trench mask,micro-electromechanical structures 61 are defined; then the firstinsulating layer 55 is removed from beneath the rotor 57.

Separately, the second insulating layer 66 is deposited or grown on asecond silicon wafer (forming the substrate 65). The third insulatinglayer 67 is deposited. Using an appropriate mask, openings are formed inthe third insulating layer 67. Then a metal layer, for example ofaluminum, is deposited and defined to form the base regions 69. A layerof a metal capable of reacting with silicon is deposited and defined toform the bonding regions 70. Possibly, using an appropriate etchingtechnique, the base regions 69 and the bonding regions 70 can be definedtogether using a single mask. Next, using an appropriate mask,positioning structures, for example notches, are formed on the rear ofthe second wafer, i.e., on the side opposite that on which the secondinsulating layer 66 and the third insulating layer 67 have been formed.

Subsequently, the second wafer is turned upside down on the first wafer,using the positioning structures present on the rear of the second waferand possibly exploiting the technique of precise self-alignmentdescribed with reference to FIGS. 6-9. Subsequently, by heating to anappropriate temperature and applying a small pressure, the bondingregions 70 are soldered on the corresponding regions (here, the stator58 and the biasing regions 59) of the micro-electromechanical structures61, forming metal silicide. The second wafer is thinned, for example bymilling, down to a thickness of between 50 and 100 μm, and, using anappropriate mask, the through openings 74 are formed. Then the portionsof the second insulating layer 66 at the through openings 74 areremoved, thus uncovering from the rear the base regions 69, which mustbe accessible for bonding. The composite wafer thus obtained is then cutinto dice and positioned where required, and the electrical connectionwires 75 are soldered.

FIG. 11 shows a device 80 including a first chip 81, similar to thefirst chip 51 of FIG. 10 (and hence its parts are designated by the samereference numbers and will not be further described herein), and asecond chip 82 housing electrical connection regions obtained using thetechnique of silicon plugs.

The second chip 82 comprises a silicon substrate 83 accommodatingthrough connection regions 84, having conductivity N+ and insulated fromthe rest of the substrate 83 by annular insulation regions 85 of silicondioxide. A top silicon layer 86 covers the rear of the substrate 83, anda bottom oxide layer 87 covers the front of the substrate 83. Plugregions 68, similar to the plug regions 68 of FIG. 10, join the secondchip 82 to the first chip 81. Some of the plug regions 68 are inelectrical contact with the through connection regions 84 and extendthrough corresponding openings present in the bottom oxide layer 87.

Electrical connection regions 90, for example of aluminum, extend overthe top of oxide layer 86 and are in electrical contact with the throughconnection regions 84 through openings made in the top oxide layer 86. Aprotection layer 91, of silicon nitride, covers the electricalconnection regions 90 and the top oxide layer 86, except for openingswhere electrical connection wires 92 are soldered to the electricalconnection regions 90 through gold-wire bonding.

The device 80 is manufactured as described hereinafter. A first wafer,accommodating the first chip 81, is formed as described previously inconnection with FIG. 10. The second chip 82 is manufactured from asecond wafer comprising a monocrystalline-silicon sacrificial substrate,the top oxide layer 86, and the substrate 83, for example a SOI wafer ora wafer obtained by epitaxial growth starting from a polysilicon germlayer deposited over the top oxide layer 86.

Using a deep trench mask, the substrate 83 is etched as far as the topoxide layer 86. Then an oxide layer is deposited and fills the trenchesjust obtained and forms the annular insulation regions 85 and the bottomoxide layer 87. After possible planarization of the bottom oxide layer87, using an appropriate mask openings are formed in the bottom oxidelayer 87, so as to uncover the substrate 83 at the through connectionregions 84. Next, plug regions 68 are formed as described above. Aspreviously, using an appropriate mask, positioning structures (notches)are made on the rear of the second wafer.

Next, the second wafer is turned upside down, aligned and bonded to thefirst wafer, as above described, for example in a controlledenvironment. Subsequently, the second wafer is thinned by completelyremoving the sacrificial layer until the top oxide layer 86 isuncovered. Using an appropriate mask, openings are formed in the topoxide layer 86. A metal layer, for example of aluminum, is deposited anddefined to form electrical connection regions 90. The protection layer91 is deposited and defined. The wafer is cut into dice, and theelectrical connection wires 92 are formed. Alternatively, deep trenchesare formed in the second wafer and are filled with insulating materialdeposited to form the annular insulation regions 85 and the bottom oxidelayer 87. The second wafer is turned upside down and bonded to the firstwafer; then it is reduced in thickness until the annular insulationregions are reached from the rear. Next, the top oxide layer 86, theelectrical connection regions 90, and the protection layer 91 areformed. Finally, the composite wafer is cut into dice, and theelectrical connection wires 92 are made.

FIG. 12 shows a device 100 including a first chip 101, similar to thefirst chip 51 of FIG. 10 (and hence its parts are designated by the samereference numbers and will not be further described herein), and asecond chip 102 housing electrical connection regions which are directlyaccessible. The first chip 101 has a smaller area than the second chip102, so that the chip 102 projects on one side beyond the first chip101.

The second chip comprises a substrate 103 coated with an insulatinglayer 104, for example of silicon dioxide. Connection regions 105belonging to a same metal level extend inside the insulating layer 104.Plug elements 68, similar to the plug elements of FIG. 10, are formed onthe surface of the insulating layer 104; some of them being inelectrical contact, through the base region 69, with the connectionregions 105. The plug elements 68 guarantee bonding between the firstchip 101 and the second chip 102, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Inaddition, a contact region 106 is present on the surface of theinsulating layer 104, in the area that is not covered by the first chip101 and is connected to a respective connection region 105 to enableconnection with the outside world.

The device 100 of FIG. 12 is manufactured as illustrated in FIGS. 13-16.As for the device 50 of FIG. 10, a first wafer 110 comprises a sandwichof the substrate 54, the insulating layer 55, and the epitaxial layer56. Next (FIG. 14), after planarization of the surface of the epitaxiallayer 56, for example by chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), a trenchmask 111 is deposited, and, using a blade, notches 112 are made in thefirst chip 101 starting from the surface of the epitaxial layer 56,through the insulating layer 55 and through most of the thickness of thesubstrate 54.

Next (FIG. 15), the micro-electromechanical structures 61 are defined,and the first insulating layer 55 is removed from beneath the rotor 57(to form an air gap 60) and from outside the biasing regions 59.

A second wafer 115 (FIG. 16) is processed separately. In detail, on thesubstrate 103, a first oxide layer is initially deposited or grown; ametal layer is deposited and defined so as to form the connectionregions 105; a second oxide layer is deposited so as to form, togetherwith the first oxide layer, the insulating layer 104; the insulatinglayer 104 is opened to form vias; an aluminum layer is deposited anddefined to form the base regions 69 and the contact regions 106; and alayer of a metal capable of reacting with silicon is deposited anddefined to obtain the bonding regions 70.

Next (FIG. 16), the first wafer 110 is turned upside down, aligned tothe second wafer 115, and bonded as described above. Then the substrate54 of the second wafer 110 is thinned. The composite wafer 116 thusobtained is cut into dice, and the external portions of the first wafer110 are removed, exploiting the notches 112, to obtain the structure ofFIG. 12.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made tothe process and the devices described and illustrated herein, allfalling within the scope of the invention, as defined in the attachedclaims. In particular, electronic components and/ormicro-electromechanical systems may be integrated in the first wafer;and the second wafer may have any number of metal levels, from one up tofive or six, according to the technology adopted and to the particularrequirements.

1. An integrated device comprising: a first body of semiconductormaterial housing integrated structures including semiconductor regionsand isolation regions; and a second body of semiconductor materialcarrying interconnection structures of conductive material, saidinterconnection structures including plug elements in direct contactwith said semiconductor regions and having a first region of a firstmaterial and a bonding region of a second material, resulting from areaction of said semiconductor regions with a metal material, differentfrom said first material.
 2. The device according to claim 1, whereinsaid semiconductor material is silicon, and said second material,resulting from the reaction of said semiconductor regions with saidmetal material, is a metal silicide.
 3. The device according to claim 1,wherein said metal material is chosen from among titanium, nickel,platinum, palladium, tungsten, and cobalt.
 4. The device according toclaim 1, wherein said plug elements have a height, said first bodycomprises an insulating material layer on top of a substrate ofsemiconductor material, said insulating material layer having athickness smaller than the height of said plug elements, and openingsuncovering selective portions of said substrate, and wherein saidbonding region is bonded to said selective portions of saidsemiconductor regions.
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein saidfirst body comprises an insulating material layer on top of a substrateof semiconductor material and conductive regions of semiconductormaterial on top of said insulating material layer, and wherein saidbonding region is bonded to said conductive regions.
 6. The deviceaccording claim 1, wherein said integrated structures compriseintegrated electronic components.
 7. The device according to claim 1,wherein said integrated structures comprise micro-electromechanicalsystems.
 8. A device, comprising: first and second semiconductor waferdies lying in substantially parallel planes; and a plurality of plugelements positioned between the first and second wafer dies, each plugelement having a first region of a first material coupled to a firstside of the first wafer die and a second region of a second, metal,material, different from the first material, bonded to a respective oneof a plurality of semiconductor material portions of the second waferdie and including a silicide formed by a reaction between the metal andthe semiconductor material.
 9. The device of claim 8 wherein the firstmaterial is aluminum.
 10. The device of claim 8 wherein the secondmaterial is selected from among titanium, palladium, nickel, platinum,tungsten, and cobalt.
 11. The device of claim 8, wherein each of therespective semiconductor material portions of the second wafer die isdefined by a respective opening formed in a dielectric layer formed on asemiconductor substrate of the second wafer die.
 12. The device of claim8, comprising an electronic component formed in a semiconductorsubstrate of the second wafer die, individuals of the plurality of plugelements being in electrical contact with respective terminals of theelectronic component via the respective semiconductor material portion.13. The device of claim 8, comprising a plurality of connection regionsformed in the first wafer die and to which the first regions ofcorresponding ones of the plurality of plug elements are coupled. 14.The device of claim 8, comprising: a dielectric layer formed on asemiconductor substrate of the second wafer die and having an openingformed therein such that a portion of a surface of the semiconductorsubstrate is exposed by the opening; a cavity formed in thesemiconductor substrate in the portion of the surface exposed by theopening; and an alignment pin formed on the first wafer die opposite thecavity, such that an upper end of the pin lies within the cavity. 15.The device of claim 14 wherein a relative length of the pin and depth ofthe cavity are such that the upper end of the pin does not contact abottom of the cavity.
 16. The device of claim 14 wherein the opening inthe dielectric layer and the cavity each have a trapezium shape, thecavity having a smaller shape than the opening, and wherein the openingand the cavity are positioned such three walls of the cavity aresubstantially aligned with three walls of the opening.
 17. The device ofclaim 8, comprising a micro-electromechanical structure formed in thesecond wafer die.
 18. The device of claim 17 wherein themicro-electromechanical structure includes terminals electricallycoupled to respective ones of the plurality of semiconductor materialportions.
 19. The device of claim 17 wherein the micro-electromechanicalstructure includes a rotor and a stator.
 20. The device of claim 8,comprising a through opening in the first wafer die.
 21. The device ofclaim 20 wherein the through opening is positioned such that a portionof the first region of one of the plurality of plug elements is exposedfrom an opposite side of the first wafer die.
 22. The device of claim21, comprising a wire bond connection to the one of the plurality ofplug elements via the through opening, the wire bond connection being inelectrical contact with the respective semiconductor material portion ofthe second wafer die via the plug element.
 23. The device of claim 8,comprising: a through connection region formed in the first wafer die inelectrical contact with one of the plurality of plug elements on a firstside of the first wafer die; and an annular insulation regionsurrounding the through connection region and isolating it from otherportions of the first wafer die.
 24. The device of claim 23, furthercomprising a connection region formed at a second side of the firstwafer die in electrical contact with the through connection region, theconnection region being in electrical contact with the respectivesemiconductor material portion of the second wafer die via the one ofthe plurality of plug elements and the through connection region. 25.The device of claim 8, comprising: a layer of conductive material formedin the first wafer die in electrical contact with one of the pluralityof plug elements; a contact region, formed on a surface of the firstside of the first wafer die, in electrical contact with the layer ofconductive material; and wherein the second wafer die is sized andpositioned such that the contact region on the surface of the firstwafer die is exposed.
 26. A device, comprising: a first semiconductordie; a second semiconductor wafer die in a parallel relationship withthe first die; a micro-electromechanical structure formed in the seconddie; means for mechanically and electrically coupling the first andsecond dies such that they remain in the parallel relationship and thatelectrical contacts provided on the first die are electrically coupledwith components of the second die, without formation of metallicdeposits on the second die, wherein the coupling means comprise plugelements having first and second material components; a throughconnection region formed in the first semiconductor die in electricalcontact with one of the plurality of plug elements on a first side ofthe first die; and an annular insulation region surrounding the throughconnection region and isolating it from other portions of the first die.27. The device of claim 26 wherein the second material component of theplug elements includes a metallic silicide formed by a reaction betweena metal of the second material component and silicon material of thesecond semiconductor wafer die.